Media Training: How to Tell a More Interesting Story

PRESIDENT BUSH TELLS A STORY

On March 18, 2005, President Bush stood before a group of Florida voters to tout his social security plan. He did something quite ordinary during his speech. He acknowledged a person in the audience and told her story.

President Bush told the crowd he had recently spoken with a local resident named Anna Brooks, a widowed grandmother, who would benefit from the type of social security personal account he was proposing.

We've all become accustomed to politicians pointing to people in the crowd and telling their stories, but why do they do it?

WHAT THE PRESIDENT UNDERSTANDS

Pay close attention to a key phrase used in the Anna Brooks anecdote ? "social security personal account." What do you picture when you hear that phrase?

Odds are, probably not much. It's an abstract concept that's tough to visualize and get passionate about.

What President Bush understands ? as do most working politicians ? is that abstract concepts have to be brought to life through real people. The story he told about Anna Brooks was about a woman suffering to make ends meet because her husband died at a young age. If only there were social security personal accounts, Mr. Bush argued, her financial suffering could be alleviated.

As he told that story, people in the audience nodded their heads in agreement. Yes, they all seemed to think, Ms. Brooks' burden should be lifted, and, well, if personal accounts would help, they seemed like a terrific idea.

Imagine instead if the President made a more academic case filled with statistics and data. Do you think he would have elicited the same emotional reaction from the crowd? Would they have nodded their heads with the same enthusiasm?

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU

Journalists are storytellers by trade and need drama to bring a story to life. Abstract concepts ? be they social security personal accounts, medical liability reform or climate change ? need to be brought to life through an anecdote.

Instead of just talking about the scientific effects of climate change on our biosphere, talk about the South Pacific fisherman who can no longer feed his family because the fish catch has declined due to global warming.

Instead of talking about medical liability reform, talk about the pregnant woman who has to cross state lines to meet with an obstetrician since her local doctors have all stopped delivering children due to high malpractice premiums.

And instead of talking about social security personal accounts, talk about a Florida widow who would benefit from them.

By doing so, the public not only understands what you're saying, but begins to empathize with a specific person. That empathy means they care ? and the more you make people care about your issue, the more they are willing to agree with your point of view.

AN ADDED BENEFIT

By offering anecdotes to journalists while being interviewed, you can help turn your Page 16 blurb into a front page feature article.

Abstract stories about process ? if covered at all ? are usually relegated to small blurbs on the inside pages. But by taking an abstract story and bringing it to life through real people, journalists can find those people, interview them and get a better sense of how they are personally impacted by your issue.

Suddenly, the reporter has a way of telling your story in a way that his or her audience is more likely to care about. Instead of telling a story about social security personal accounts in the abstract, the reporter can tell a story about social security personal accounts in which a specific person is genuinely affected. And that, paired with a photograph of the woman with her grandkids ? is front page material.

Brad Phillips is the founder and president of Phillips Media Relations. He was formerly a journalist for ABC News and CNN, and headed the media relations department for the second largest environmental group in the world.

For more information and to sign up for free monthly media relations and media training e-tips, visit http://www.PhillipsMediaRelations.com

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Is PR All About Image? NO!!

That's like asking if advertising is all about type faces... Read More

How to Make Publicity Work for Your Business: Six P.R. Strategies to Use Right Now

Public Relations (or P.R.) is a wonderful, yet often overlooked... Read More

A Winning Public Relations Game Plan

You want to sell your products or services, and that... Read More

The Four Seasons of Publicity - Building an All-Year Publicity

If you're like most publicity seekers, you probably think oneproject... Read More

How Marketing-Minded Financial Planners Get Publicity

You've probably noticed, if you live on this planet, that... Read More

Media Relations: Minority Media Matters

Your boss just stopped by your office. He tells you... Read More

Media Training 101: When 60 Minutes Knocks On Your Door

You never know when 60 Minutes will knock on your... Read More

How To Write A Press Release: The Seven Deadly Sins And How To Avoid Them

How to write a press release that generates free publicity... Read More

Take the High Ground With Quality PR

Quality public relations does something positive for business, non-profit and... Read More

Keep The Publicity Machine Rolling with Reprints

More than half of America skips the Super Bowl, the... Read More

The Ultimate PR Edge: Getting Reporters To Open Your E-Mails

You know that getting publicity is vital to the health... Read More

Think Big

Would you like to be the next Dr. Phil, Suze... Read More

Why PR is a Vital Force

Because it can alter individual perception and lead to changed... Read More

The Ten Ps of PR

Everyone is talking about the Ps of successful marketing, so... Read More

Starting A Publicity Program

Successful buisnesses know that media attention reaches consumers better than... Read More

Public Relations Mixup?

When you pay good money for public relations services, you... Read More

Make Sure Your Media Room Rocks

If a reporter was writing a story about you and... Read More

Financial Planners Publicity and Marketing - Live By The Calendar

The media live by the calendar. Your story pitch might... Read More

Writing a Press Release: The Medias Dirty Secret

There's a dirty little secret about press releases that the... Read More

Dont Be Incredible

Public relations is all about credibility and trustworthiness. If you... Read More

Grandma Says...

Southern grandmothers have often said, "there are only three... Read More

GETTING YOUR MESSAGE ACROSS

You have a story to tell. Your company has developed... Read More

Media Relations: When Numbers Lie

NUMBERS, NUMBERS EVERYWHEREYou just placed a terrific story on the... Read More

Publicity: Nailing a Media Interview, Part II (Crisis Management)

We'd all like reporters to ask us about our career... Read More

Building Credibility Through Bylined Articles

As if making sure your company runs smoothly on an... Read More

3 Essential Elements For Turning Your PR Pitch Into Publicity Exposure

1) Establish Rapport, then get the editor/producer excited.There's not a... Read More

Media Relations: Making Your Story More Newsworthy

During my career as the head of media relations for... Read More

How Public Relations Changes Minds

Public relations changes minds in the process of delivering what... Read More

How To Get Press To Come To You

Have you ever noticed how the same people's names always... Read More

Making Press Releases Work - Creating News Where None Existed

Aren't you tired of hearing how extremely easy it is... Read More

Media Exposure Validates And Legitimizes Your Business

Although repetition is extremely important, there are times when advertising... Read More

Andrew Bogut - His Big Media Blunder And What You Can Learn From It

Andrew Bogut, the Australian basketballer is now officially in the... Read More

Five Publicity Buckets For Marketing-Minded Financial Planners

Maybe you've seen another financial planner on TV, and thought,... Read More